My '79 Midget (1500) is running like crap. Seems like everything is going
wrong at one time. You might remember I wrote the list about the exhaust
header cracking--I welded it and used the furnace cement to seal a leak. BUT
in re welding it, the pipe did not set the way it came out of the car, so it
is banging against the frame, plus, when It cracked apart, I noted that there
were restrictions inside the pipe--indicated that it was a home made unit.
Also, the engine won't idle worth a crap. It doesn't die, but it is rough,
and I can set the idle at 1000 in my driveway but when I drive it, it drops
to about 500 and stumbles. Set it again to 1000, it again drops on its own
to 500 or less. Power is reduced---acceleration is not as good as it used to
be. Running about 60 it seems to purr right along---no engine misses at all.
It is leaking oil like a cracked dam. The leaking oil ends up on the exhaust
and I go down the road smoking.
And to top it all off, my radiator has developed a leak. I put some of that
stop leak stuff in it but I noted that it just ended up all over the lower
radiator hose, like it had sprayed all over it from the radiator leak.
Here is what I plan to do. If there is anything else I might need to attend
to, please let me know: I am going to pull the engine AND tranny, which
requres removal of the radiator as well. I plan to pull everything on the
engine that has a gasket or oil seal and replace all gaskets and seals with
new gaskets and blue silicone. While the timing chain cover is off replace
the 2 year old timing chain. I plan to pull the head to check out the
valves--maybe regrind if needed), exhaust and intake ports, and upper
cylinder, and replace the head gasket. Same with the tranny--replace all
gaskets and seals that could be leaking oil. Send the radiator in to the
radiator shop for a leak check and repair. During Engine reassembly, I will
replace the plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotory button (I have Crane
electronic ignition, thus no points). I have a new Paceseter Exhaust
Header--I will replace the old header and take the car to the Muffler shop
after replacing the engine to have the header fitted to my exhaust pipe,
which is only about 6 months old. Oh--I plan also to rent a steamer and
steam the engine compartment, tranny tunnel, bottom of the car and wheel
wells to remove all the oil that is now clinging to everything from the
massive leaks.
This seems like a lot of stuff, but the cost here is very minimal. Hopefully
this will get the "bug" out of my car and return it to running like the top
it used to be. Comments please!
---David C.
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